We Are His Workmanship

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

The old dilemma of which came first between the hen and the egg. Many people argue about references to good works in the Bible saying that they are necessary to save us. But back to the hen and the egg, Ephesians 2:10 comes right after Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;it isthe gift of God,not of works, lest anyone should boast. Therefore, good works are consequences to be saved not the cause of salvation.

Christians should not do good works to be saved, but because they are saved do good works. The best work was done by Jesus Christ in atonement for the sins of all mankind. Who has received the gift of eternal life is born again, he is a new creature. Therefore, it has the capacity to act for good in honor to which he saved us.

A mango tree cannot produce apples. Nor can mow with a razor. In the same way, good works can only come from someone who is good. Mark 10:18 says: So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.” If God is the only One good, then no one can boast that he can do good works because it lacks enough goodness to carry them out.

That is why for any human being is completely impossible to be saved by what he does. And the good works we do once we are saved, not come from ourselves but the only good God. That’s why Ephesians 2:10 says that we are His workmanship. Having been redone by a gift from God, then we stayed in the ability to perform good works; but each of them did not come from us but have also been prepared in advance by God.

Everything seems a play on words and very confusing for some, a vicious circle as the hen and the egg. But it all starts and ends the same: the work is and will always be of God and not of us. God makes us saved, and God enables us to do good works which He has prepared. He alone is good; nobody has itself the power to carry out those good works.

What God has set it this way? The answer is that no one will steal His glory. And only He is worthy to receive it. As it is written in Revelation 4:11: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11 is a confirmation that we are His workmanship and that He created all things.

We celebrate that we have been made new by God to walk running the good works he had already prepared for us. It is a privilege to be collaborators of the King of kings and Lord of lords and dwell with Him forever. God bless you.